It's long been assumed that the NHL schedule, if it happened, would last 48 games, and be played only within conferences. Despite the possibility of a 50-game schedule in the immediate aftermath of the CBA agreement, the 48-model won out.

TSN.ca's Bob McKenzie has details on exactly how those games will get divvied up. There are two 15-team conferences that are each made up of three five-team divisions.

The easy criticism of that matrix is that it creates issues in teams with one team markedly worse than the others, like the Atlantic or Central. Say you're the New York Rangers. If the Pittsburgh Penguins get an extra game against the New York Islanders, sweep them, and win the division by a point, you're not going to be thrilled.

Or, say you're the Detroit Red Wings, and you finish a point outside the playoffs. Ahead of you: the Chicago Blackhawks, who got an extra game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Still, it's better than no games at all. Plus, given the fact that there are an uneven number of teams within both conferences and divisions, it's tough to imagine a drastically better alternative.